Electric cigar and pipe lighter with exchangeable incandescent body



Nov. 13, 1928.

v H. AGATZ ELECTRIC CIGAR AND PIPE LIGHTER WITH EXCHANGEABLE INCANDESCENT BODY Filed April 6, 1926 m 3 w; .m a if. v E m 7M 2 L m I 7% 8 UNITED STATES 1,691,836 PATENT OFFICE.

EEINZ AGATZ, OF BERLIN-FRIEDENAU7 GERMANY.

ELECTRIC CIGAR AND. P

Application filed April This invention relates to electric lighters for cigars and pipes changeable incandescent b in a casing made from rial. The c lighter consists in that haracteristic feature of the switch mechacomprising an exody accommodated heat insulating matethe nism for closing the circuit through the incandescent wire is arranged in a chamber of the lighter-casing separated from the mcandescent bo This improved switch mechanism does away with the switch, which in the ('ectric lighters of known type, mounting or in the top is arranged in the plate of the lighter and interferes with the artistic style of the article.

According to the invention a current conductin element is usedlocate incandescent body so that contact is lished only if the electric which is movably in the chamber separated from the establiglhter is brought eit er inclined or the invention are of example, in the accompanying drawing in which all the four figures are vertical sections.

Figs. 1 and 2 show two tion of a stopper-shaped forms of construcelectric lightendesigned to be screwed into a base plate or into an Edison lamp-holder.

Fig. 2 shows a with the base plate in lighter which is connected another manner.

Fig. 3 shows a cigar-lighter of modified construction.

Fig. 4 shows a pipe-lighter. shown in Fi' the lighting circuit In the lighter mechanism for closin is operated as soon t e 1 the switch lighter is brought into an inclined position. For the lighter such construction are used that the lighting surface is normally downwardly directed so that the lighter has to be turned upside down for use, and as of the contact element is at this occasion t e position altered the circuit is closed. The lighter-body shown in Fig. 3 ma be in connection with the lighter shown in ig.,1 or with the lighter shown in Fig. 2.

In the lighters shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the incandescent bod shaped body -0 which has an the shaft 2 can The stopper-she head 3 comprising a cavi 1 is mounte heat insulating material Edison screw base 12 so that be screwed into any holder. ped body has an enlarged in a stopperty which serves as Edison screw base the incandescent shown in Fig. 2 mountings or bodies of lthe bottom of the 6, 1926, Serial No. 100,128, and in Germany April 'I, 1925.

seat for the incandescent body 1. In the shaft 2 a hollow space 4 is provided, designed to accommodate the contact element. This contact element consists of a metal body, for instance a ball 10, which is loosely located in said hollow space 4 and which is designed to connect two contact-surfaces if the lighter is in a certain position. In the foot end of the threaded shaft 2 of a contact plate 8 is located which forms one end of the circuit, the Edison holder 12 forming the other end of the same. In the hollow space 4 a contact ring 9 is fixed at a short distance above said contact plate 8. In the aperture in head 3 of the lighter-body the incandesent body 1 is removably fixed. The incandescent body 1 consists of a flat piece of insulating material having in its outer surface grooves in which an incandescent wire 5 is imbedded. On the inner surface of the body 1 contact plates 6 are fixed to which the two ends of the incandescent wire are connected. On the shoulder of the stopper-shaped body, formed between the aperture in head 3 and the bore 4 in the shaft 2, two contact plates 7 are fixed opposite said contact-plates 6 of the lighter body, one of said plates 7 being connected to the 12 and the other one to the contact spring 9. In order to protect wire the outer surface of the incandescent ered by a plate of mica. A cap 13, having a central aperture 14, serves for securely holding the incandescent body 1 in the head 3 of the lighter. The lighting surface formed by the mica plate is accessible from the outside through a central aperture '14 of cap 13.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. chamber 4 is formed by a concave metal plate 11. According to Fig. 2 this bottom plate 11 is convex. These plates 11 and 11" are directly connected to the contact plate 8.

In order to use the lighter shown in Fig. 1 for lighting a cigar the apparatus has to be slightly inclined so that the ball 10 adopts on the concave plate 11 the position shown in dash lines so that it is in touch with ring 9 and closes the circuit for the incandescent wire 5.

The ball 10 rolls back to the centre of the concave plate, in interrupting the circuit, as soon as the lighter is brought back into the vertical position. In the stopper-shaped body 1 is preferably covlighter shown in Fig. 2 which is designed to be used in connection with an apparatus in which the lighting surface is turned down in the position of rest, the ball 10 rests normally on the rear face of the incandescent body 1 inthe chamber 4. If the apparatus is turned upside down for lighting, the ball drops upon the convex surface of the plate 11" and forms contact between the plate 11 and the contact ring 9, if it is in the position shown in dash lines.

7 The circuit is interrupted as soon as the lighter is turned back into the normal position.

In the form of construction, shown in Fig. 3, a lighter-body 15 is used instead of the stopper-shaped body described above, this lighter-body 15 having no Edison-screw base but being made'also from heat-insulating material. This lighter-body 15 is directly mounted in the support 16 which has feet 17 or a downwardly turned flange. The lighting surface is normally downwardly directed, as can be seen from Fig. 1, the apparatus having to be turned upside down for li hting, in which case the feet 17 are turned upward as indicated in dash lines in the-form of the invention disclosed in Figure 3 the incandescent body 1 is mounted in a cavity of the lighter-body 15. The incandescent wire 5, the contact plates 6, 7 the chamber 4, the contact ring 9 in this chamber, and the cap 13 for fixing the incandescent body 1 in the support, are similarly arranged as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. As there is no Edison screw base, the contact plate '7 is directly connected at 18 to the leading-in wire. The leading-out wire is connected at 20 to the bottom plate 19 ofchamber 4. If the cigar lighter is in normal position of rest, its feet 17 standing on a support, the lighting surface is turned downward and the ball or sphere 10 rests upon the incandescent body 1 away from the contact plate. If the apparatus is turned u side down, the sphere 10 drops onto e bottom plate 19 in the chamber 4 without touching, however, the contact ring 9. If the apparatus is slightly inclined, the ball 10 comes in contact with the'contact'ring 9 and contact is established between the ring 9 and contact plate 19. V

In all the apparatus dsecribed and shown, the cap 13 has to be removed if the switch mechanism gets in disorder or if the incandescen t has burnt through, so that the contact in The cap 13 is put on again after 'the apparatus has been repaired or after a fresh incandescent body 1 has been inserted so that the lighter is ready for use. If, in course of time, the holder 3 or 15 for the incandescent body should be damaged, it has to be replaced. In the lighter, shown e chamber 4 becomes accessible.

regular inner face,

in Figs. 1 and 2, a new stopper-shaped body has to be screwed in for this purpose, whilst in the lighter, shown in Fig. 3 the holding body 15 has to be pulled out o the support 16 so far that the connections at 18 and 20 can be separated, whereupon a new holder body- 15 is inserted and pulled in with the aid of the cable.

If the lighter is to be used for li hting pipes it is of the shape shown in fig. 4, accordingto which the incandescent body has a cylindrical extension 21 in the end face of which the incandescent wire 5 is embedded. The apparatus may otherwise be of similar construction as above described and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As a pipe lighter must be in such a position for lighting a pipe that the lightmg surface of the extension 21 of the incandescent body 1 is turned downward so that it can be pressed upon the tobacco in the p'pe the contacting arrangement is as follows- Opposite the inner wall of the incandes- 7 cent body 1 in the chamber 4, in which the ball 10 is loosely located, a conical metal hood 22 is arranged which is connected to one of the contact plates 7. If the li hter is turned upside down the ball 10 ops down between the hood-shaped late 22 and the contact ring, so that it. a opts the position indicated in dash-lines, closin the circuit for the incandescent wire. I the lighter is brought back into the normal position the ball drops away from the metal hood 22 so that no circuit-closing can occur.-

contact ring and said bottom plate but is caused to move into the contact-estab position by the rounded contact if sai lighter is inclined for lighting a cigar.

2. In a circuit closer, a hollow body having a conductor sleeve thereon formin one terminal of an electric circuit, a-con uctor within the hollow body and having elec- I trical connection with the conductor sleeve, 1!.

base contact element carried by one end of the sleeve and forming the other terminal of said electrical circuit andha an irand a spheri f circuit closer disposed on the irregular face of the base contact and thereby normally held out of contact with the ring but caused to roll into engagement with. the ring to complete a.

an electrical circuit upon moving the body to an angular position.

3. In a circuit closer a hollow circular bodv, a conductor sleeve-carried thereby, a 5 conductor ring held within the hollow body adjacent one end thereof, and having electrical connection with the conductor-sleeve, a base contact member closing one end of the hollow body and disposed in close re- 1 lation to the conductor ring and constituting the other terminal of said electrical circuit, the inner face of the base contact member being concave, and a spherical circuit closing element resting on the concave face and normally retained bygravity in a central position thereon where itwlll not contact with the conductor ring, the circuit closing element being movable to positions to engage the ring and base contact mcmberat the same time to complete an electric circuit upon tilting the body with respect to the vertical,

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. HEINZ AGATZ. 

